I, too, have retired from Bud Plant Illustrated Books. Now I "work" for as time and my whims allow. It's wonderful being fully retired. All of the pictures below are from long ago. The twins are now nine years old! Gee, how time flies....

In addition to plunking the magic keyboard, froggie, I also like books, though mainly reading them, not looking at the pictures. My favorite authors are Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Rex Stout, Dorothy L. Sayers and P.G. Wodehouse. I've got most of them in hardback, but am still searching for the elusive few. I also like early Harlan Ellison, Peter Corris, Richard Feynman, and illustrated cookbooks. If you ever want to push a hot button, mention Poodle Springs. On second thought, don't.

And finally, just in case there's nothing else to do, I help take care of my sister's twin boys two days a week while she works. They used to be the most wonderful babies in the whole world. But now they're 3 years old, so they're the best and smartest and handsome-est pre-schoolers in the whole world. On the left are Maureen, Giovanni, my other sister Kathleen, me and Jaime on Halloween 1999. And to your right, Kathleen, Giovanni and Jaime. Alright, so I can't prove handsome in their Tigger costumes, but at least Giovanni's cool.

It's about time I learned how to put my own pictures in here, instead of relying on Jim. So here's a new batch of Jamie and Giovanni at 14 months (none of me this time - I still look the same). At the far left is Jamie, imitating our hero (the headband, not the diapers). Near left is Jamie, modeling his baseball cap, backwards of course.Giovanni is on your right, trying unsuccessfully to look innocent. If you look closely, he's holding a picture of all of us swimming in the backyard.

Here's Jamie and me on Feb 20 1998. He's so big! (Giovanni looks pretty much like this too). They're both walking now. Well, all right, Giovanni's really running. Nobody's talking yet, but our guess is they just don't have anything to say. They've been eating my meatloaf for about two months now, ever since Giovanni climbed the steps to steal Maureen's sandwich (Maureen is their mom). Back to books: they don't read yet, but like their Uncle-Out-Law, they do look at the pictures.

Here they are on May 10 at 11 months. That's grandpa (my dad) holding them so lovingly. They're such little boys! I've been plying them with freshly made food of all types (they still love the meatloaf and go through about one a week!) and they like shepherd's pie, beef stew (grandpa's contribution), peas, carrots, broccoli, squash (a big favorite), and even parsnips. I take care of them every Monday while Maureen works, so I take a fresh variety of treats with me when I go.

Giovanni in the jolly jumper doing his jig. 11/13/97

Giovanni up close and personable 11/13/97

Shauna and Jamie - 11/13/97

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